Members of the Philippine Accessible Disability Services (PADS) Adaptive Dragonboat Racing Team join the members of the Cebu City Council who passed a resolution recognizing the team’s achievements. | CDND PHOTO / Delta Dyrecka Comendador
CEBU CITY, Philippines―The Philippine Accessible Disability Services (PADS) Adaptive Dragonboat Racing Team is finally getting the recognition that they deserve after proving that they can rise above their disabilities to bring honor to Cebu and the Philippines.
Cebu City Councilor Dondon Hontiveros sponsored a resolution, which was passed Tuesday, July 23, 2019, commending the team for bagging medals during the Sandugo Dragonboat Festival held last Saturday, July 20, 2019 in Dauis, Bohol.
“We are happy that finally the accomplishments of our athletes is being recognized… for their efforts and sacrifices to defy the odds in the sport and give honor and pride to the city and country,” said John Paul “JP” Maunes, the team manager of the PADS Adaptive Dragonboat Racing Team.
The resolution cited that PADS is the only team which has persons with disabilities in its crew and brought home the title in the Women’s and Open Master categories.
The team also had a first runner-up finish in the Mixed Master and a second runner-up finish in the Mixed Standard Boat category.
The PADS Adaptive Dragon Boat Racing Team was also recognized for their past accomplishments, which include bagging the titles in the 2017 and 2018 CCB (Asia) International Dragonboat Races-International Paradragon Championships held at the Victoria Harbour, Central Pier 10, in Hong Kong.
The resolution also commended the team for being tapped as the official representative of the Philippine delegation to the first-ever Paradragon Division in the 14th International Dragonboat Federation (IDBF) World Championships to be held in Pattaya,Thailand from August 20 to 25, 2019.
According to the resolution, the team “deserves to be commended for the honor and pride they bring to the City.”
Maunes said that they are hoping that the city government’s support to the team will expand beyond the resolution.
He hopes that the city government would be able to give the team cash incentives for every championship that they will win as well as financial support for the team’s preparation for the World Championships.
“What the team has reached now is once in a lifetime. Most of the time, only teams from Manila are the ones who will represent the country there. Now, we have a Cebu-based team,” said Maunes.
For Maunes, representing the Philippines in the upcoming world championship brought the paddlers’ lives in full circle.
“Imagine, three years ago, people would just pass by them without minding them. No one knew who they are. Burdened by their families. Most of them almost wasted their lives with vices. All that changed because of Dragonboat,” he said. / celr